Yes. We took many many photos of this monument because it was near our apartment. We have photos of the Cathedral in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening and at night. When it was cloudy and when there was not a cloud in the sky. And yes, we saw the inside too.

It was magnificent, in a style much more ornate that the Cistercian Abbeys.

And yes, we saw the inside too. It was beautiful, in a much more ornate style than the Cistercian Abbeys. We did not climb the tower, but we saw a lot of art and history. It was like a museum!

Unfortunately seeing this church made me sad. I was disappointed because it was very commercialized although it is still a church where people can attend mass. There were a lot of tourists that were not respectful. In September there were not too many people in the Cathedral, but I’m sure there are tons in the summer. I tried to imagine the church without tourists, without shops, without something for sale at every corner, but I had trouble with that. It was not at all like the Abbeys. There, even if there were tours, the guides have maintained silence and respect for these places of worship.

Si c’était à refaire, qu’est-ce que j’aurais fait de différent? (If I could do it again, would I do anything differently?)

I found that there were fewer people in the morning, the first round of the day. It’s worth getting up early. Plus, the light in the morning is great for taking photos. Then, you could have a nice coffee after your visit. I wish I were there right now!!

We’ve remarked on this commercialism many times when visiting European cathedrals and churches. I suppose it is part of the price to pay for preservation (and our ability to view these places)… We have been inside many beautiful, less-famous churches where the tourist aspect is fairly low-key, and the visitors are quiet and respectful. We did visit Notre Dame on a dreary, cold February Sunday…and heard the organ and bells. 🙂

It is hard, sometimes, to shut off the touristy buzz at the main attractions, yet I am a tourist too. Best, as you did, if we have time to balance with visits to off-the-path locales where it is imperative that WE do the blending in so as not to ruin it for local residents.

Yes, indeed, Sammy. A balance is always important. I do try to be respectful when I visit these sites, and it makes me sad that so many do not even try. I think it’s important to “do the blending in” as you say even at the “touristy” sites. I like to think that my behavior when I’m being a tourist reflects well on my country!

So much rich history in the cathedrals. I haven’t visited Notre Dame but I have others. There is a hush and feeling of awe when you walk the same floors that others have walked for 5, 6, or 700 years. I find the building of the catherals fascinating. so much time to build them and the beauty created and the tools were simple in comparison to today. I saw a documentary, not long ago, on what it takes to restore and fix the damage on some of these buildings. Painstaking and expensive.

Thanks for the visit! Yes, it’s fascinating to learn what it took in terms of engineering genius to build these cathedrals. I admit to learning some of that from Ken Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth” novels 🙂

Beautifully done. I enjoyed the photos, and also the back and forth between English and French. Paris is, by far, one of the most delightful places to visit. It’s been a while for me, so thank you for taking me there again.
Silvia @Silvia Writes

Such an interesting place. People have been worshipping there since there have been people on the Ile de la Cité. It was a Druid place of worship, then there was a Roman temple to Jupiter there (you can see a carved and inscribed column from it in the Cluny museum), then a church, and then the current cathedral.